Documents detail attack that took life of priest

By BRIAN SKOLOFF - Associated Press

June 16, 2014

AP Photo/The Catholic Sun

Caption

In this photo provided by The Catholic Sun, date not known, the Rev. Kenneth Walker, left, and the Rev. Joseph Terra perform a Mass in Phoenix. Walker was killed and Terra was critically injured during a robbery attempt at Mother of Mercy Mission church on Wednesday, June 11, 2014.

PHOENIX (AP) — Court records show a Phoenix priest who went to investigate noises in a church courtyard was attacked by an ex-convict wielding a piece of iron before the priest fled and got a gun from his bedroom.

The injured priest, Rev. Joseph Terra, wasn't able to fire the weapon because his finger was injured, and police reports show 54-year-old suspect Gary Michael Moran wrestled it away from him.

Rev. Kenneth Walker, another Roman Catholic priest who came to Terra's aid, was then shot.

The court records were filed by police to support murder and other charges against Moran. The documents were released Monday.

The records say Moran told detectives that he shot the priest who tried to help Terra.

Moran was released from prison in April after serving about eight years on charges that included aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.